Melbourne, FL Fence Regulations: Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard residential fence height
- 6 feet
- Front yard fence height
- 4 feet
- Side-corner street-side segment
- 4 feet
- Tennis court fence height
- Up to 12 feet
- Non-residential/perimeter fence cap
- 10 feet (12 feet for rec facilities)
- Corner visibility rule
- Overrides existing permits/variances
Summary
Melbourne caps residential fences at six feet, dropping to four feet in a required front yard and on the street side of a corner lot, per Sec. 9.43. A separate visibility rule in Sec. 9.45(d) bars any fence from blocking sightlines at intersections, curb cuts or railroad crossings, regardless of any permit already issued.
Sec. 9.43(b) Height of fences and walls permitted. Except as otherwise provided herein, fences and walls shall be limited to six feet in height except that fences and walls in a required front yard shall be limited to four feet in height. Fences and walls located on side-corner lots may be six feet in height except between the front building line and the street shall be limited to four feet in height. Fences used for tennis courts may be permitted up to 12 feet in height. Fences in an AEU zoning district may be permitted up to eight feet in height. ... Sec. 9.45(d) Visual clearance at corners, curb cuts, and railroad crossings. Notwithstanding any part of this ordinance or any permit granted, or any variance granted by the board of adjustment, no type of structure, vehicle, tree, planting, vegetation, sign, fence, or any other type of obstacle or any portion thereof shall be placed or retained in such manner which would create a traffic hazard or would obstruct the vision clearance at corners, curb cuts, or railroad crossings.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 32).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 43 governs single- and two-family fences in the PUD, AEU, REU, R-A, R-1A, R-1AA, R-1AAA, R-2, R-3 and R-4 districts: fences and walls are limited to six feet in height, but any fence in a required front yard is capped at four feet. On side-corner lots, the fence may reach six feet, except the stretch between the front building line and the street, which is held to four feet. Front-yard fences also cannot exceed 50 percent opacity. Tennis-court fencing may go up to 12 feet, and fences in the AEU zoning district may reach eight feet.
For subdivision perimeter fences, multifamily, commercial, industrial and institutional properties, Sec. 44 sets a general 10-foot cap, rising to 12 feet for perimeter fences around common recreation facilities like ball fields and tennis courts; front-yard fences there must sit back 10 feet from the property line unless they are four feet or shorter and no more than 50 percent opaque, in which case they may sit on the line itself. Fences near a right-of-way need city engineer approval and may face additional setback or height limits for safety.
Independent of height, Sec. 45(d) requires clear sightlines: no fence, wall, structure, vehicle, sign or vegetation may obstruct vision clearance at corners, curb cuts or railroad crossings, and this rule overrides any permit or board of adjustment variance otherwise granted. A building permit is required for any fence (Sec. 48), and the board of adjustment hears variance requests under Sec. 51.
Violations & Fines
A fence built over the applicable height cap, or one that blocks the visual clearance triangle at a corner, curb cut or railroad crossing, is a code violation even if a building permit was issued for it, since Sec. 9.45(d) expressly overrides prior permits and variances. Code compliance can require the fence be lowered or removed, and property owners must maintain any legally installed fence in good repair under Sec. 9.50.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a backyard fence be in Melbourne, FL?
Can I build a six-foot fence on a corner lot in Melbourne?
Does Melbourne require clear sightlines at intersections?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Melbourne
How Melbourne compares: Cities That Allow the Tallest Residential Fences·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Melbourne to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
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Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Brevard County handle height limits.